New Years Resolutions

I always make new years resolutions. I always get excited about making them. I don't always keep them (not on purpose) but I like them. I have been thinking of things I want to work on for a few months now.

Here are my resolutions:

1. Quiet time with the Lord. I have ALWAYS struggled with this as I hate hate rituals (that often lead to complacency) with the Lord. I hate doing the same thing every day, and I hate feeling like I'm just checking a box with God when I sit down at a certain time every day to do it. This is not okay. I'm being really transparent with you here, but this is a real problem of mine. So, this year, I'm going to try extra hard to make daily, enjoyable, purposeful time with the Lord.

In that same note, this same resolution continues in my desire to work on and eventually become better at:

Praying for my husband and son

Thanking the Lord during prayer

Memorizing and applying scripture

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who truly struggles with being a daily, genuine Christian. I am constantly at odds with my flesh. My selfishness, my sarcasm, my hormones (or emotions or exhaustion or any other difficulty we as women/mothers face) often gets in the way, and too often trumps my desire to let my relationship with the Lord shine through.  I hate that.  I will never be one of those people who "gets" philosophy and theology easily, which may be surprising if you know my mother, but that's not an excuse for me to not try.

Encouragement for you, though, if by chance you are reading this and identifying with it - as Christians, we NEVER "arrive". There is never an end to God. We never stop growing. It is taboo in the church to admit that we are human and struggle with being like Christ, and I miss not having anyone to talk to about this and encourage together.

2. (On a different note) - I want to exercise/eat better during my next pregnancy. And yes, this is a new years resolution because we're hoping to have another precious baby in the near future.

3. I want to be a better housewife with a better attitude. I don't love to clean, I don't love to do laundry, and I don't love to organize anything. I don't even like it. But as I do it, I always am glad I did it, so I want to establish a better routine for keeping up the house and keeping it clean.

4. I want to build on the relationships I've been given. Relationships do not come naturally for me, and I want to be better at calling first/texting first/writing first with my friends (especially the ones who are relocating to far away places such as California).

I also want to be kinder, gentler, softer, more forgiving, more loving, quicker to hug, quicker to encourage, less emotional, a better friend, a better wife, a better mother. 

Happy New Year